


Where Will You Fly?

by Moriavis



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fake Character Death, Gen, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26384866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moriavis/pseuds/Moriavis
Summary: Leonard Snart cleaned up other people's problems. This problem isn't exactly what he expected.
Relationships: Barry Allen & Leonard Snart
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	Where Will You Fly?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! I have come back from the dead with a strange little tumblr fill that's been sitting in my inbox for three years, because I suck. It's not beta'ed because it's so short, but I hope you enjoy it! It's been a long time since I've had an opportunity to write, so this was a nice thing to play with.
> 
> Prompt: Barry is a corpse from a witch hanging that Len is supposed to dispose of. Before he can bury him, Barry wakes up and reveals that he is in fact a magician and he tricked the executioner. Then I guess Len has to go with him or turn him in?
> 
> (Why did it take THREE years to write when I was given everything I needed? I have no idea.)

~*~

Leonard hefted his shovel to his other shoulder as he walked, trying in vain to ease the chronic ache he'd gained after years of labor. He'd dreamed of getting out of Central when he was younger, but… it was what it was.

And Thawne was paying him good coin to clean up his latest witch hunt.

The makeshift gallows was easy to see even from this distance: the old oak tree stood on the gentle slope of a low hill, and there wasn't even the hint of a breeze to sway the body.

Leonard finished the climb, and he looked at the body for a minute before he turned his attention to the hard dirt beneath his feet. Whoever it was had been young. It was a goddamn tragedy. Thawne had wanted him to burn the body before burial, but Leonard wasn't too inclined to follow through. If he'd wanted the dead kid roasted, he should've done it himself. Leonard didn't particularly like the heat.

He stepped away from the tree and tested the ground with a jab of his shovel blade. It seemed as good a place as any, so Leonard set his attention entirely on digging, finding the monotony and physical activity something close to meditative. He was looking forward to the end of this distasteful business, so he could go back to town and have a drink and his dinner at the tavern.

There was a grunt behind him, the creak of the tree branch, and then a loud _thud_ as something hit the ground.

Leonard whirled around, his shovel at the ready; his blow was strong, sure--then it hit a field of sparkling red energy and shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving Leonard holding the jagged remains of his shovel handle.

"Sorry!" The man--who only moments before hung from the tree with a broken neck and bluish skin--winced and smiled at Leonard. "I didn't want to play dead a second time. Uh... sorry for scaring you."

"What the fuck?" Leonard asked. He looked at the remains of his shovel handle and dropped it to the ground. "You owe me a shovel."

"Okay, I can tell this isn't the best introduction." 

Leonard scoffed in response and folded his arms over his chest.

"Hey, let's start over. I'm Barry." Barry stuck out his hand as if Leonard would be stupid enough to shake it. Leonard stared at Barry's hand until Barry sheepishly dropped it. "I guess I'll be on my way?"

Leonard glared at Barry. Didn't want to play dead, did he? "Give me one reason why I shouldn't let everyone know you survived so they can kill you for real this time?"

Barry got his feet under him and rose slowly, raising his hands as if he could keep Leonard calm in the meantime. "Because that would be a really bad idea?"

Leonard tilted his head. "Try again."

"Okay. Okay, look. Eobard's been after me for years, okay? It's like his favorite game is taking me down. So this time I let him. I used a spell to make it look like I was dead, so he'd finally get over it. I didn't think anyone would actually come to bury me."

"So you're saying you actually are a witch."

Barry rubbed the back of his head. "I prefer magician? But I guess 'witch' works, too."

"Hm." Leonard looked around, but the darkness was quiet and peaceful. It was just the two of them. "Fine. Hit the road."

"Wha--really?" Barry blinked at Leonard, and for a second Leonard wished it wasn't so dark, just so he could see the kid better.

Leonard shrugged. "You don't worship the devil or anything, right?"

Barry rolled his eyes. "Nope."

"Then I don't give a damn." Leonard kicked at the remains of his shovel and then pushed past Barry to grab the noose and unwind the rope from the tree. "I got paid to clean up. It's what I'm going to do."

Barry was silent as Leonard finished unwinding the rope and tossed it into the shallow hole he'd dug before his tools were ruined. "Eobard's going to know you let me go."

"That's my problem to worry about, kid." Leonard looked around in a vain effort to keep himself busy. There wasn't really very much here, for a place where someone had faked their murder.

"Come with me," Barry blurted out all at once. 

Leonard scrubbed his hand over his face in exasperation. "I'm a stranger," he said pointedly.

"You're a stranger who's letting me go," Barry said. "That's better than a lot of other people would do." Leonard turned to face him, and Barry shook his head. "Listen. I don't have a lot of time.." He clasped his hands together, and there was a dull glow of light that illuminated his fingers a fleshy orange. When he opened his hands, there was a small charm in the shape of a lightning bolt.

He held his hand out, and Leonard, bewildered and a little suspicious, accepted the gift.

"Think about it," Barry said. "If you change your mind, just snap that in half. I'll come back for you."

You should worry about yourself," Leonard said as he glanced down at the tiny metallic lightning bolt in his palm.

When Leonard looked back up, Barry was gone. In his place stood a brand new shovel.

Leonard laughed softly, and went about his original business, faking a grave that was no longer needed.

He wasn't naive or foolish--he knew that Thawne would be suspicious. If luck was on his side, he could resolve his affairs and maybe send a letter to Lisa. When he was ready…

Well. The kid had given him a way out. All Leonard had to do was take it.

~*~


End file.
